A Prince's one Wish
by Exploding Snap
Summary: *Chapter4 up!* Char's POV... started from when he was supposed to give Ella the centaur. It'll finish, most likely at the end of the book...
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: All the people whose names you recognize, such as Char, Ella, Dame Olga, Hattie, Olive, Mandy, Apple (yes, the centaur), Madame Edith, and even the ground these guys step on, belong to Gail Carson Levine.  
  
A/N: When I saw the Ella Enchanted section here, I just had to write a fic. Problem was, I wrote it in a piece of paper, and it got lost somewhere in the depths of my school bag. I just found it! And I hope you like it.:) I just realized that all my fics somehow start when I'm in school...there's the "Currently Unnamed Note-passing Scheme", and "The Answer to Everything", and now, here is:  
  
A Prince's One Wish  
  
  
"She isn't here"  
I was shocked. "Where had she gone?" I asked urgently  
"Well, majesty, only yesterday, Ella left for Finishing School." She said those last few words in barely more than a whisper.  
"What? Why? Why does she need to be finished if there is nothing wrong with her to begin with?" I asked, furious. She was silent.  
Thank you anyway." I turned away.  
"Majesty!" she had stopped me in mid-turn, "I'm very sorry, but our grounds are too small to accommodate a growing centaur!"  
"All right then, tell Ella that I will raise the centaur for her . . . His name is Apple, by the way. "I sighed "I will return for him later." I was determined to explore the old castle abandoned by my father. As I left, I saw the cook give it an apple. Perfect.  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
I wrote a letter to my father, informing him about the few cotillions that I attended. I also told him that I would gladly patrol the border for him, as he thinks I am old enough. We have already started, and are heading towards the vicinity of Jenn. I hope to see Ella sometime soon. I have heard that there is a very good finishing school there-run by Madame Edith.  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
Outside a tall building, a young man finished writing something, then unexpectedly, stood up and tore the paper into shreds. He let them go, and stood forlornly, as the wind blew them away to the four corners of the world. Anyone watching from the windows would have thought him a pitiful lover. But, that was a lie; anyone who saw him there would have asked why the Prince of Kyrria was all alone. Yes, he was a prince, the great Prince Charmont of Kyrria.   
~~diary~~  
I could have talked to her, comforted her for whatever reason it was she left. You must be confused, so I will explain. We started on this trip, only last week, and reached this Finishing school the day before yesterday. When we got there, I glanced at the list of names of the students. As I began to walk away, I suddenly realized that I knew one if the names there... Ella. I rushed off to Madame Edith, the headmistress (a/n: maybe I'm too much into HP now...) and asked where Ella was. She said that Ella had run away sometime last week. I walked away, downcast. I had almost reached her. If only I had arrived there a few days earlier. I love her, I know. I shall tear this up and scatter them to the wind. It isn't her fault that the Prince of Kyrria Fell in love with her. I don't want to endanger her for that reason. I shall never speak or write of this again until I ask for her hand.  
Char.  
  
A/N: Please give me reviews! Consider this as something like a prologue, please. Forgive me if it is short. I did the best I could! Flames will be used to roast my marshmallows! *points to a large bag of them* Thanks!  



	2. A Meeting in the Forest

Ella and Char meet in the forest… with some ogres...

A/N: Chapter 2 is up!!!!! I'm sorry if it took very long, but I didn't get any good ideas, then FFN went down. And I STILL can't get any good ideas…*shrugs* I'll try my best anyway. OH, Char just stopped by there for a while to rest, ya know? He was making the best of his last chance for urbanity before he has to rely on cheese, traveler's bread and dried meat.^_^ 

p.s. It's hard for me to think of long chapters, so if you won't kill me for taking so long this time, and for it being so short, I'll definitely make it faster.

Thanks to:

Icegoddess, Unknown (I know… I know…), Amanda, AL, Shiara Skyrider, ~Fire_Lily~(yup! I noticed that too), Aurora, Faith, Matilda14, Kathryn Starr (hey! My 1st desperate fan! ^_^), D.S. Moony (don't cry!), brainybabe13 (thanks!), J (no! it's like his one wish is to be with Ella!), GenCee86 (yeah… too bad ain't it?), outspoken_jj (of course!), Kessie Anne, Evelyn Black (really!?!?), Allie(Char isn't mean! He's just sad!), Rini(memorized it yet?^_^), *kittykat*, Morganna(so THAT'S what it's called!), Kate, Zoey, Trista_Setsuna(of course! How silly of me!), Alisa_Camp(That's what I'm trying to do!J), Kiwilime, Cassidelia, FanFreak(he just stopped to rest), Person, DixieGoddes, Dewdrop, Sirena

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you even remotely recognize!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I lay down by the river Lucarno and sighed. I knew she would never regard me as anything else more than a friend. Or maybe as an older brother. She made me laugh, but that was no more than an act of friendship. But then, a voice abruptly ended my thoughts. 

"Prince! A band of ogres nearby! Seems like they're about to eat something! And… wait… that's not possible! It's a maiden, sir, and she's talking them to sleep!"

"What?!?"

"Just as I said sir!"

"Then let us go."

"Yes sir!"

We walked the short distance to the clearing where Sir Martin saw the scene take place, but not before we placed wax in our ears. That always blocked their entreating voices (just in case). As I led, I accidentally stepped on a twig that snapped, and saw the face of the 'maiden'. It was none other than Ella! I saluted her quickly, and then turned to stare at the ogres. They WERE asleep. It seemed impossible, but there it was, a whole band of ogres. I quickly regained my wits, and began tying the nearest one. It stirred, apparently it wasn't unconscious. I tried to ignore it, hoping I would be able to bind at least some part of him, before he woke completely. Too late. It roared, a sound, which I smelled (stinks), and felt, but not heard.

The ogre loosened the knots I had already started, though I started binding him again and signaled my knights to do the same to the others. Suddenly, I got knocked to the ground. Panicking, I looked at Ella. She stood transfixed at us, as though it were some play. So I shouted. 

"Can you tame them again Ella? If not, run and save yourself."

She snapped out of her reverie and started saying gibberish. The ogres sat down as Ella signaled for us to bind and gag them. For some strange reason, the ogres seemed all too cheerful while we were doing it. 

I turned to Ella once more. "Ella." I bowed "How did you tame the ogres?"

She mouthed something unintelligible "I can't hear you." It was then I realized that the wax was still in my ears. I blushed. "Oh, I forgot…" I took the wax out carefully.

"That's why the ogres' magic had no effect on you."

I explained. "Once we sight ogres, we always put the wax in. The danger is being caught unawares." I looked curiously at her. "One of the scouts saw you and reported that a band of ogres were about to eat a maiden when she talked them to sleep. How did you do it?"

"I told them all about finishing school, and they began to snore."

"Truly?" I knew it couldn't be true, but laughed nonetheless. "How did you really do it?"

She yielded. "I spoke to them in Orgrese, and imitated their oily way of talking. I didn't know if I would succeed. They had already parceled me up. I knew which one was going to eat every bit of me. SEEf—that one—" she pointed to the on I had been trying to tie mere minutes ago. "…wanted my leg."

"How did they come upon you?"

She had run away from finishing school and had sought refuge with some elves. The pile of bones there were actually the remains of the pony the elves gave her.

Now, I asked her, jesting, "Was finishing school so wearisome that you had to run away?"

She played along, "Very wearisome, and see what it's done to me. I can no longer break a set of dishes by accident. Now I can balance all of them on my head and stroll through Frell without breaking a single one. I have many accomplishments." She smiled.

I now pretended to look alarmed. "Are you proud of them?" 

She nodded. "Would you like to know more?"

I was really starting to dislike it now, so I shrugged.

She continued nonetheless. "To begin with, I could teach these boorish ogres how to eat properly. Observe." She held an imaginary napkin, shook it twice, and placed it delicately on her lap. 

I had to comment, "Very ladylike."

Ella smiled. "I shake the napkin twice. That's important."

"Why?"

She answered curtly, "Mice."

I had to laugh once more. "There are no mice in our court napkins. You are thinking of spiders."

"The prince contradicts a lady!"she started sawing at imaginary food.

At a glance, I knew she was supposed to be cutting up mutton. I could not mistake that from all my training in court. But since I wanted her to speak again, I said. "Your meat is tough. You have a low regard for our cooks."

"Not at all. It should be tough. Don't you know why?"

"Tell me."

"It is mutton. Am I not using a mutton fork? Manners Mistress will believe you are an imposter if you don't recognize a mutton fork when…"

I cut in swiftly. "When I don't see one!" I started laughing again.

"It could only be a mutton fork!"

"How so?"

"See how my fingers are bunched up together at the top of the stem." She showed me how, using our hands as examples. "…my finger is the fork. You grasp it so. That's the only correct way to hold a mutton fork. A trout fork is managed differently." She turned my hand over, glimpsed my palm, and exclaimed, "The rope burned you!"

"It's nothing" The rope HAD burned me, mere minutes ago, but I wanted her not to worry, so I added quickly, "One of the knights is a healer. What else did your Manners Mistress teach you?"

"Manners Mistress knew your father's opinion about everything. She said he would exile any subject who ate blancmange for a soup bowl. As a result of her instruction, I can never make such a mistake."

"Does my father have a special spoon for raspberries and one for blueberries?" I asked, grinning.

"Certainly."

"Why wasn't I informed?"

"You should hire Manners Mistress. She would die of delight to serve a prince."

She described all of the teachers in the school, Music Mistress, Dancing Mistress, Sewing Mistress, and Writing Mistress. "Writing Mistress was the only one who taught anything worth knowing, although it _is_ helpful to know the proper way to behave, so one can decide whether or not to be proper."

Suddenly I remembered the knights who were staring at us with a sort of a bemused interest playing on their faces. Blushing slightly, I said, "Friends—John, Aubrey, Bertram, Percival, Marti, Stephan—meet our ogre tamer. She's the lass I told you about, the one who speaks Gnomic."

Stephan remarked, "We were wondering when you would remember your manners."

I heard on of the ogres make a gurgling sort of noise, so I went to look at them, Ella right behind me. "So much as you are our friends, so much are we your friends. But we won't kill you unless you force us to do so." To my surprise, a few seconds after my speech, all the ogres were screaming, screeching, and struggling to get loose of their bonds. As the ropes held however, they realized it was futile, and grew silent.

Ella spoke to the ogres as well, in a language I couldn't understand, so I guessed it might have been Orgrese. She smiled at me, and I blushed for a reason   
I know not.

We addressed the ogres while the knights were setting lunch for us all. As we ate lunch, I told Ella about my 'mission' of patrolling the border. After that, we discussed how we could possibly take them to my father, or at least tell him of how we found a new way of conquering ogres. I lapsed into daydreaming, this was cut short, however, by Sir Stephan, who said "Let the prince tell us what to do. He knows."

So I had to answer. "You Stephan, will escort the Lady Ella to her destination… wherever that is. Martin and Percival will ride to my father for assistance. Sir Bert, Aubrey, John, and I shall take turns hunting and guarding the ogres. We'll put the wax back in our ears when we are within earshot of them in case their gags slip."

But Sir Martin interceded, "I'd rather stay with you, lad."

"You and Percival are our best scouts. We'll depend on you to get through quickly."

He nodded.

Sir Stephan spoke once more, "The maiden will be safe with me. I'll—"

"Unless he talks her to death. You don't know him, lady. His speech stops only when the stars shine green in a yellow sky."

"He'll be a better companion than ogres." I said dismissively. "But, Ella, why didn't you go back to Frell when you left finishing school?" I didn't need to say that the finishing school was much nearer Frell than this place.

"My father is trading at a giant's farm, where a wedding will take place soon. He wrote that giants' weddings are interesting. I thought I'd join him there." Ella flustered.

"You put yourself in such danger in order to see a wedding?"

Sir Bertram spoke, "It's fortunate that all the maidens in Kyrria do not decide to travel by themselves. We have work enough without having to rescue them."

I defended Ella, "If all the maidens in Kyrria could tame ogres, we would have much less to do." I smiled.

After lunch, we got ready, and I set Ella behind Sir Stephan, on his horse. She was exceptionally light, as I would imagine the weight of a fairy. Ella, starting to dismount, said quickly, "I don't like to leave you in danger…"

"Go with Sir Stephan." I ordered. "We won't come to harm."

Ella relaxed. I caught hold of the horse's bridle and asked, "Will you soon be in Frell again?"

"If Father doesn't send me back to finishing school, and if he doesn't want me to travel with him. Why do you ask?"

"I should be back shortly. These maneuvers never last long." That wasn't exactly a lie, for my father had been on thousands, and was away for only a short while. 

"Perhaps I'll see you soon then, and you can tell me about the ogres you catch." She replied, smiling.

"Perhaps you can teach me how to tame an ogre."

"anthOOn Ssyng! That's farewell"

"It sounds evil."

"It is." She said, and we parted. I watched her ride away, wishing she was mine.

A/N: I'm gonna write by chapter now, ok? It's much easier to know when to stop, since I'll be following the storyline anyway… Review!!!!!

Review in the big blue box right there!!!

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	3. Stair Rails

Disclaimer: Nothing is mine. The great Gail Carson Levine owns them all. 

A/N: I'm so sorry I took so long…(again), but really! I tried my best! And aren't you proud of me? It's a 7-page chapter! …please still like me…

*********

            The rest of the journey was sort of boring. We patrolled the border for a few days before Sir Stephan came and reported that Ella was left in "_large, _good hands". And another two weeks before Sirs Martin and Percival came with the assistance for the ogres provided by my father, who was there as well. 

"So. You caught a band of ogres. That is an extraordinary accomplishment for one on his first review of the borders."

            I smiled. "Well, I was rather surprised when it happened. I really didn't expect it."

            "Surprised? How could you be? You _were _the ones who caught them, did you not?"

            "Well, technically, yes. But Ella, you know, the lass I was talking about, was the one who really caught them."

            "Really? How so?"

            "Well, she realized that she could control the ogres using their own powers. She imitated their oily way of talking. We ourselves have been doing that as well, to get them to move from one place to another." I added under my breath, "Hasn't been working for me though…"

            Father smiled, and I knew he heard me. "Ah. Well. That's good."

            "Thank you."

            "And Char?"

            "Yes Father?"

            "It is time for you and your sister to go to Ayortha soon, for your one-year trip. I have already informed Cecilia."

            "Alright Father."                                                  

***

            After around another week, we got back to the castle in Frell. There were a few tearful greetings between us ("_Oh Charmont! Are you sure you're all right after encountering those dreadful ogres?_"). And I found out that Ella's father and a certain Dame Olga were to be married. I vaguely wondered how Ella felt when she found out, then decided to go to the wedding.

            I reached there only after the ceremony, and caught a glimpse of Ella running up a flight of stairs. Wondering why she decided to do so, I followed her. When I got up, I started looking through the doors. I found her on the seventh one, and saw her, apparently lying down on the floor. 

            "Are you well?" I asked, kneeling down beside her. 

            She answered. "I'm fine."

            "Good."

            We both stood up, and scrambled into the hallway. "I thought you were still patrolling the border. I didn't notice you at the wedding."

            "We returned here this morning. I arrived just in time to watch you dash up the stairs." I looked at her curiously, but she made no move to reply. I continued, "My father spent his boyhood here, before the new palace was built. He says there's a secret passage somewhere. It's rumored to start in one of the rooms on this story."

            "Where does it lead?" she asked me curiously.

            "Supposedly to a tunnel under the moat. Father used to search for it."

            "Shall we look?"

            "Would you like to?" I added uncertainly, " If you don't mind missing the ball…"

            "I'd love to miss the ball." She said happily, and began by opening one of the doors of the corridor.

            We searched the room we were in pretty much thoroughly but saw nothing. After a while, Ella said, "Char, why do you think they made the secret passage?"

            "I don't know… maybe to hide from their enemies…"

            She laughed. "That's too obvious! Anyway, they would have had many soldiers guarding the palace."

            "Oh well… What about…to warn Frell of danger…"

            Laughing again, she said, "To escape a mad fairy!"

            Her laugh was infectious. "To flee punishment."

            Ella seemed to have heard the music downstairs, for she said, "To leave a boring cotillion."

            I agreed. "That was it."

            Though we searched many rooms, we certainly did not find a secret passage. The very much thorough search became a stroll through the corridor. 

Suddenly, Ella said, "You've guessed why I shut myself up here."

"I have no idea." I peered through a door to see if there was anything that looked like an entrance to a secret passage. Nothing.

"To avoid temptation."

I grinned. "What temptation?"

"Can't you guess?"

I slowly shook my head, still grinning.

"The temptation to slide down the stair rail, of course!"

I laughed. "And why were you lying down?"

She mock-looked indignant. "I wasn't lying down! I was sitting."

"Pray tell why you were sitting."

"To pretend I was sliding down the stair rail."

"Laughing once more, I said, "You should have done it. I would have caught you at the bottom."

She looked troubled for a moment, but shook it away.

After a few more corridors, I said, "If we're not careful, we'll go down this one again. They're all the same."

Ella said mournfully, "Hansel and Gretel had pebbles and breadcrumbs to show them the way. We have nothing."

"We have more than they did. They were impoverished. There must be something…" Looking down at myself, I saw the ivory buttons on my doublet. I shuddered for a moment to think of what my mother would say if I came home without them, but I tugged at them anyway. I placed a button on one of the tiles on the floor. Seeing Ella's astonished face, I said with a chuckle, "That will mark our progress. I'm destroying my dignity without sliding down anything!"

After going through six corridors, and all my buttons, we ascended he back staircase. It ended in an outdoor passage to a tower that seemed to have been used as an indoor garden once. We rushed across the garden, facing into a bitter wind. Ella sat on an old stone bench and asked, "Do the king's gardeners come here? Are the trees dead?"

"I don't know." I noticed a crack on the seat, and added, "Stand up." When she did, I pushed it with my foot "This lifts off!"

We pushed it off entirely, and found the following: a spade, a pail, a small rake, a leather apron, and two things more. After twitching aside the apron, I found gloves, stained and riddled badly, and a pair of slippers that seemingly were made of glass. Entranced, I looked at them closely. "I think they're made of glass! Here." I extended my hand to give the slippers to Ella. 

As I let them go, I found out, to my horror, she only reached out for one. The second slipper fell, and I stared in amazement when it landed on the hard stone without a crack. Ella, just as startled, picked it up, and tapped on it. It obviously was glass, at least if you consider the sound. Suddenly seeing Ella's feet, I wondered if they would fit. "Try them on." 

She did. "They're perfect."

"Stand up."

"They'll crack for certain if I do." Ella said, though it seemed like it was strained, like she wanted to, but was afraid to damage such a beautiful object.

I tried to persuade her. "Perhaps not."

She stood, but the slippers did not break. She took a few steps, and still they were intact. Hearing the faint sounds of the orchestra below, she took a gliding step, and then twirled. I smiled and bowed. "The young lady must not dance alone."

I put my hand around her waist, and the other holding hers. They were soft, and tiny. She was like the most beautiful doll in the world, but better. She had a wonderful sense of humor, and a kind and compassionate heart. 

We danced to many songs, I named the songs out loud, to cover my nervousness. We danced to a gavotte, a slow sarabande, a courante, a pavane, and an allemande. After a few dances I asked Ella if she wanted to go back downstairs, to the ongoing celebration. 

"Perhaps… Do you want to?"

Caught off guard, I answered, "No. I only came to see you" I added quickly, "To be sure you arrived home safely."

"Quite safely. Sir Stephan guarded me well, and the giants took excellent care of me. Did you catch more ogres?"

"szah suSS fyng mOOng psySSahbuSS."

She laughed.

"They laughed too and never listened to me. Once, I told them to keep quiet, then, quite suddenly, they stood up. Bertram was the best; they obeyed him half the time."

After a while, the music started once more, and we danced to a pavane. 

"A fairy gave my father and my new mother an unusual gift. They were to love each other forever, till the end of their days. What do you think of such a present?" Ella asked.

I answered truthfully, "I shouldn't like to be under a spell to love someone"

"Sometimes people get forced into wedlock. If they must marry, perhaps it's better if they must love."

"Do you think so? I don't."

"It doesn't matter for you. You can marry anyone."

I looked at her, startled, "And you cannot?" I challenged.

"I suppose I can… We're both too young to marry, in any case."

"Are _we_? I'm older than you are."

"I am then. And the fairy's gift is horrid. I would hate to have to love someone."

"I agree. Love shouldn't be dictated."

"Nothing should be dictated!" she burst out.

"As little as possible."

After a while, Ella said she was tired, so we sat down. After a while we began talking, and there I told her about my upcoming one-year trip to Ayortha.

"A year!" she cried out in dismay.

I smiled. "Father says it's time. I'll write to you. You shall know all my doings. Will you write to me in return?"

"Yes, but I'll have no doings, or few. I shall invent, and you'll have to decide what is real."

She went to the window, and looked down. "The celebration has ended, but the fairy's still here, standing by the bride's side."

I joined her at the window, and noticed that some of the carriages were already gone. "Perhaps she means to monitor the effects of her gift."

"Would she? Do you think so?" one look at her face told me that she wouldn't go down as long as the fairy was there.

"I don't know. I can tell her to go. She would hardly like a prince for an enemy."

She looked frantic. "Don't!" her face relaxing a bit, she added, "Let's just watch."

We stayed there till the fairy did depart. And with a dazzling smile, she vanished.

I gasped.

"We'd better go down" she said. "Soon they'll look for me in earnest." She gave me a look that said, 'They'll go looking for you too, you know, as you're the prince.'

We walked to the landing, gathering up the buttons, and putting them in my inside pocket as we went. 

"No one is here. You need resist temptation no longer."

She laughed. "Only if you slide too."

Gladly. "I'll go first so I can catch you at the bottom" I slid, and she came after me. I caught her, and spun her around. "Again!" I cried, and we ran up the stairs once more. As I reached the top, I said, laughing, to Ella, "Wait till you try the banister at home." 

"Here I go!" then I slid.

When she got to the bottom, I twirled her once more, but as I got halfway around, I saw Ella's family. Surprised, I set Ella on the floor, and bowed. 

I was quite a sight. The crown prince of Kyrria, with his doublet flapping uselessly, and with his _striped _undergarment peeking out as well, was trying to regain his dignity with an extremely shocked family in front of him. Oh well…

Thank you to the following: 

Lioness                                     Rebecca

 Eunc                                                    Shri 

Spacey Aurian                                      Ala

SweetSinger                                         Audig

~Destiny Wings~                                  The Wandering Blue Andalite

Rini                                                      OYC 

And everyone who reviewed the 1st chapter.


	4. Unsuccessful Visits

_A/N: I'm really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really sorry for taking so long…………_

**Chapter 4: Unsuccessful visits**

Still laughing madly, I left. As I entered my carriage, the coachman looked at me, probably wondering if I was mad or not. I glanced at him again. Yep. I was mad.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            The next morning, I woke up, still grinning widely. I decided to give Ella a tour of the palace. Remembering the last night, I resolved to have her slide down the stair rails as well.

            Arriving at Dame Olga, or rather, Sir Peter's mansion, a manservant opened the door for me, and showed me to one of the rooms. I waited for only five minutes before the door opened once more. The lass standing at the door, however wasn't Ella. Her name was Hallie, or something of the like.

            "Good Morning Highness, forgive me for keeping you waiting. I am Lady Hattie, Dame Olga's daughter."

            Oh. 

I decided to speak. "Forgive me lady, but I was seeking an audience with the young Lady Eleanor— where is she?"

            She snorted, then suddenly blushed, as she realized what she had done. "Ella is out calling at the Earl of Demby's. She may be back shortly."

            "All right." I replied easily. "I shall wait for her then"

            I waited for around three hours, with Hattie having a monologue about anything and everything under the sky, and me nodding and quietly praying for a miracle to happen. A thunderstorm or anything, just so that I could get away from her. At long last, my coachman came, and told me that I was to attend a party of some sort. After quietly praying my thanks, I excused myself, and returned to the castle.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            The next day, hoping desperately that Ella was home that day, I returned to the mansion. Once more, Hattie came to greet me. 

            "I'm sorry, majesty, but Ella is once more out calling--"

            "Hm… once again? Where?"

            "Er…"

            "To the Earl of Demby again, I presume?"

            "Well, yes…"

            "So why was it that at the cotillion last night, the Earl was talking nonstop about his trip to Ayortha that he just returned from at the start of the ball?"

            She kept silent. 

            "I hope that this time Ella will come shortly."

            "She will, majesty."

            So once more, I waited. I shouldn't have burst out like that. Only precious few had seen me actually get mad at someone. Only two, actually. My father, and my old tutor. The story I gave wasn't really true. I didn't actually go near the Earl that night, and he had been in Frell the whole time. 

            Once again, I waited for hours. Ella never came. After a few minutes, Hattie restarted her monologue. This time, her younger sister was by her side, saying nothing. Well, not really nothing. We actually had a conversation, short, but a conversation. 

            When her sister left the room for a moment (I asked her if there were any drinks), she said. "Do the people give you their money if you just tell them to?"

            "Well, no, not really, only when it is time to pay taxes… Why would I want to deprive people of their hard-earned money?"

            She looked surprised I asked her that. "To become richer." She stated.

            Okay…

            It was then that the coachman came in once more to tell me that Mother was expecting me by two. (Why does the coachman know where I need to be while I have absolutely no idea at all?!)

            I looked back at the mansion, for if I could not see Ella for the last time before I left for Ayortha, I would at least have a last glance at her home. But as I looked, I saw Ella standing by a window on the second floor! Resolving to return in the evening, to demand why I had to wait for hours for a lass that was already in the building, I left for the castle. But even then my plans were thwarted. Mother wanted to see me because there was a surprise party to be held the rest of the day. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            When I woke up the next morning, I decided to go back to Ella's mansion quickly to demand an explanation, but when I got downstairs, Father came to me, and told me that we were to leave in thirty minutes, and that I had to change quickly. I never got the chance to see Ella.

_A/N: I'm really sorry it was so short, and that it took so long… I swear! I'm really sorry!_

_Oh Yeah! Thanks to the following reviewers:_

_StuntWoman_

_J_

_The Wandering Blue Andalite_

_Ikoilla the Admirer_

_Odd*ball_

_SurferChick_

_Queen Mab_

_Kelley_

_Cheey Lee _

_Jurei _

_Katrina_

_Sweet Star_

_CC_

Jamie 

_Midnight Maelstrom_

_And everyone else who reviewed the other chapters!_


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